


Belated Regret

by Nevermore_red



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Greg is Happy, Greg's Ex Gets a Dose of Karma, Greg's Ex Wife's POV, Lestrolly, Mentions of Sex, Mollstrade, Molly is Amazing, Post Season 4, Regret, They're Adorably in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 03:43:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9698069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nevermore_red/pseuds/Nevermore_red
Summary: Margaret attends an old friends wedding and meets a uniquely lovely woman in the hotel spa. She also sees her ex husband, Greg Lestrade, and realises what it is she's given up.





	

Margaret wondered through the lobby of the hotel, taking in all the lavish details. It was a flashy place, high end, and extremely posh. She absolutely loved it. She also loved that it was in Devon and offered her the opportunity to get out of London for a spell. Her room was far more expensive than she could have justified, but the grooms family had paid to rent out an entire floor of the hotel. Margaret was actually very impressed (and perhaps a little envious) that Annabeth had managed to snag such a wealthy man. She was a sweet girl and a close friend back at Uni, but Margaret had never imagined she would do so well for herself.

Checking in at the front desk of the spa, Margaret followed the woman back to the nail room that was lined with comfy chairs. Most were empty, except for a few, and the lady led Margaret to an empty chair next to a young woman relaxed back into her chair, feet soaking in a bubbling foot bath.

"Thank you." Margaret nodded to the worker and slipped her sandals off and got into the chair. Taking a moment, she settled in and turned on the massager while she waited for the nail tech.

"Hello." the woman next to her greeted her and Margaret suppressed an eye roll. She'd come here to relax and indulge herself before the wedding tonight, not to have polite small talk with a stranger.

"Hello." she offered her a syrupy smile and sighed with happiness when the nail tech came up to fill her own foot bath and added some salts.

"It's a lovely place, isn't it?" the woman next to her went on and Margaret groaned internally.

"Quite." she glanced over at the other woman after her feet were placed into the tub. Another worker was currently scrubbing the woman's feet but she was looking at Margaret with a sweet smile. She was a bit older than Margaret had originally thought. Perhaps late thirties. Rather on the plain side. Brown eyes and brown hair pulled back in a pony tail. Her figure was petite, except for the noticeable swell of her belly beneath the violently bright sundress she wore. A small hand rested on the stomach and Margaret took note of the vintage looking wedding ring that graced her finger. Poor thing had gotten herself hitched to someone who obviously couldn't afford much. The stone wasn't even a diamond.

"I can't remember the last time I had a pedicure." the woman went on. "I'm on my feet all day for work and I forget how absolutely lovely they are. Do you indulge often?"

Margaret did, actually. Keeping herself buffed and primped to perfection was important to her.

"I do." she said shortly. "Although this is my first time here."

She tried to end the conversation there, as her worker was now back, but it wasn't to be. The other woman prattled on and on about nothing and everything. She was an odd woman, to be sure, and her jokes were morbid and a little disturbing, but Margaret couldn't help think that her first assessment was wrong. The woman wasn't plain, that much became obvious once she was animated. She was lively and cheerful and simply glowed with an inner happiness Margaret was certain she'd never had. Well, maybe once, back in the beginning of her first marriage. Things hadn't worked at well for them, though.

"But you know men." the other woman laughed after her own anecdote Margaret had missed. "They can be rather obtuse arses sometimes." she winced a little at the curse. "Sorry."

"They can." Margaret agreed. "Though I see you are still married to one."

"Oh." she looked at her own wedding ring. "Well, he can be an arse, sure, but he's really quite lovely."

Ah. Newlyweds, then. "How long have you been married?"

"Only two years." she smiled down at her wedding ring. "But we've known each other for ages. He was a good friend, a great friend, before. Still is. See, in the beginning, I was the rather obtuse one when it came to him." she snorted at herself and shook her head. "I was blinded by my feelings for another man. One I knew would never return my feelings. But then there was this phone call between that man and me." she sighed sadly and leaned her head back on the chair. "It was horrid and painful, but once I was able to forgive him, not for the phone call, that wasn't his fault, but for not loving me, I was able to really let go of my unrequited love for him. That opened my eyes to my husband. He'd always been there, silently and patiently waiting. He'd been hurt before, a cheating wife you see, but he was willing to take this chance on me and we've got something absolutely brilliant."

Margaret winced a little at the clear distaste in her tone when she mentioned a cheating wife. Margaret didn't like guilt, it was an ugly emotion, and had never been overly burdened with her own infidelity to her ex husband. She told herself she was just seeking out what he was unable to give her. She was often left alone while he was busy with work and needed someone to fill that empty void. At the time she had also consoled herself with the idea that he might have been cheating as well, even if she knew he wasn't, honourable sod that he was.

"I'm glad you found happiness." Margaret offered. "And it looks like you'll be adding more happiness soon." she motioned to the blatantly pregnant belly.

"Oh, yes." she smiled, both hands rubbing her stomach. "Eight more weeks now. Do you have any children?"

"No." Margaret answered quickly. "My ex husband wanted them, but I never did." She decided to leave out the years of them trying. She couldn't bring herself to outright deny him, but had secretly kept up with her contraceptive shots.

"I never thought I would." she patted her belly lightly. "My work is time consuming, as is my husbands, but we discussed it before getting married and both decided the effort would be worth it. And we've got quite the support team of friends and family."

"Well, congratulations, then." Margaret pushed down the tiny echo of longing as she stared at own flat stomach. "Do you know what it is?"

"A boy." she beamed. "We haven't agreed on a name yet. He wants Tobias, but my cats name is Toby." she laughed and shook her head. "I don't like the idea of my son being named after my cat."

"Too right." Margaret laughed. "I'd put my foot down on that one as well."

"I fancy older names." she said thoughtfully. "Edison, Ollie, Warren, but I absolutely adore Ezra. Between Mrs. Hudson and I, I think we've got him talked into that one."

"It's a lovely name." Margaret smiled, idly wondering who Mrs. Hudson was.

"Isn't it?" she gave a smile in return, a delighted one with her nose scrunched a little. She was actually quite adorable and Margaret found herself actually enjoying her lovely, if rather unique, personality.

"All done, ma'am." the other woman's worker finished up with the last of her toenail polish.

"Thank you." she smiled, swinging her feet off the step and slipping her sandals back on. "It was lovely chatting with you...oh!" she laughed a bit. "I haven't gotten your name, actually."

"Margaret." she offered her hand with a smile and the other woman took it with a strange look on her face.

"Molly." she said absently. "Sorry." she shook her head with a giggle. "It's nothing. Really lovely to meet you, Margaret. Have a lovely time here."

"You as well, dear." Margaret said sincerely. "And congratulations again."

"Thank you." Molly gave her a wave, thanked the workers again, and then left the spa with just a hint of a waddle.

Later, freshly pampered and waxed, Margaret made her way back to her room to touch up her makeup and slip on her dress for the wedding that evening. She was sitting at her vanity, leaned forward to apply mascara, wondering if she should dye her hair a bit more blonde to hide the greys, when a noise startled her. At first she thought someone was knocking on her door so went to look out the peephole only to hear the continued knocking on the wall her telly sat against. It only took a moment of confusion to put together what was happening. The rhythmic knocking on that wall could only be one thing. The occupants in the room next to hers were having sex! Rather vigorous sex, it seemed. Only mildly ashamed, Margaret pressed her ear to the wall. It was a very nice hotel so the walls weren't thin, but if she listened closely she could make out some distinctly pleased feminine sounds. So, vigorous, _enjoyable_ sex it seemed. Lucky bint. Margaret pulled her ear away when the sounds all culminated with louder sounds (a masculine groan joining in) and then the knocking stopped. She became a bit more ashamed when she realised that her womb had contracted in desire at the sounds and she was more than a little turned on. Perhaps she needed to pick up a man at this wedding.

An hour later Margaret made her way out to the back gardens that overlooked the nearby coastline, and joined the group of wedding attendants for pre ceremony cocktails. She chatted with a few of her old Uni friends, but then a flash of grey hair near the bar caught her attention and she perked up in surprise to realise her ex husband was here. Perhaps she should have expected it. Annabeth's brother Neal and Greg used to play football together at Uni. It was actually how she and Greg had met each other. From her bit of a distance, Margaret took in the changes from the last time she had seen him a few years ago. He was standing with Neal, a beer glass in his hand. He'd never liked cocktails. A pint was always more his thing. Seemed that hadn't changed. Actually, much about him hadn't changed at all. He was still roughly the same size, though his dark grey suit was cut well enough for her to notice he was perhaps in better shape. His hair was more grey, but it suited him. Suited him very, _very_ well. He laughed at something Neal had said and Margaret was struck by the realisation she couldn't remember a time when he had laughed so openly. Certainly not towards the end of their relationship and definitely not with her. In all, he looked good. Damned good, actually. Maybe Margaret could play on his sense of nostalgia and get him to accompany her up to her room later. He was always very good in bed with a delightfully wicked mouth.

Draining her glass, she straightened her posture and strode seductively in his direction. He must have caught her movement, or felt the weight of her gaze, because he turned those wonderfully dark eyes towards her. Margaret held them with her own, giving him a coy smile. She felt slightly deterred when he didn't return it. He didn't look all that happy to see her, or excited by the blatant way she was looking him up and down. There was a time, years ago, that she only had to give him a certain smile and a crook of her finger and he would be on his knees for her. Just before she was close enough to speak, Greg shifted his gaze off to her right. His shoulders immediately relaxed, a heartwarmingly loving smile pulling up the corners of his mouth. Margaret glanced over to see the same woman from the spa moving towards him. Her hair was up in a curling up do, a brilliantly blue flower stuck in the side. Her dress was vintage 50's style, the same blue as her hair flower, accenting her pregnant belly. One glance back at Greg and Margaret noticed it matched his tie perfectly.

Even with a sinking feeling in her stomach, it was a little too late to back out now. Not when Greg had already seen her coming. With her pause, Molly had reached Greg first and he handed her off a glass of water. Molly noticed her coming and smiled welcoming, looking a bit surprised.

"Oh, hello!" she greeted her. "Fancy seeing you here. I suppose I should have put two and two together. I never asked why you were here, though."

"Molly?" Greg questioned, looking between Molly and Margaret.

"Sorry." she laughed. "I should introduce you. I met Margaret in the spa, remember me telling you I talked to a woman?"

"Molly." Greg said her name softly while Neal snorted in delight, a hand slipping around her waist. Margaret caught the glint of the wedding ring on his other hand, the one still holding the pint glass.

"Yeah?" Molly smiled up at him. Greg took a deep breath, glancing at Margaret.

"Molls, this is my ex wife. Mog, this is my wife. Dr. Molly Hooper-Lestrade."

"But." Molly shook her head, looking up at Margaret. "I've seen pictures. I thought you had red hair."

"I did have." Margaret smiled. "I prefer blonde, now." No use in mentioning it hid the greys better.

"Oh." Molly cocked her head a little. "I thought you looked familiar. But Greg had always called you Mog. I never put together that it was short for Margaret."

"Well, this is bloody awkward." Neal laughed before tipping up his pint.

"No." Molly said quickly with a shake of her head. "No, it's lovely to meet you. Sorry I didn't realise it was you sooner."

Margaret was taken back a bit by Molly's still welcome and sweet demeanor, but far more importantly was how Greg was looking at her. Happiness was simply radiating out of him. The frank and open adoration with which he looked at Molly. A sudden and strong sense of regret overtook her for a moment and she simply couldn't speak. She had known, even towards the end, that Greg was working his damndest to keep them together. He still loved her, still wanted to be with her, even after all she'd put him through. Margaret had always just assumed he would always feel that way about her. He would forever be pining away for a wife he couldn't have.

Oh, how wrong she had been.

Shaking off her belated sense of loss, Margaret exchanged a few pleasantries with the three of them before it was time for them to take their seats for the ceremony. Margaret didn't find a man to take back to her room that evening. She was too busy watching Greg and Molly together. How in tune they were with each other. How his hand was always drawn to her waist or the small of her back when they moved through the crowd. The unconscious way they mirrored each other. When they danced, as trite as it sounded, it looked as if they had been doing so their entire lives. The petty, angry part of Margaret sneered that it didn't matter. She would always be his first love. Molly could never have that. But then she thought of what else that meant. While she may have been his first, Molly would be his last, and most likely greatest love. Wasn't that much more meaningful?

Dejected and more than a little pissy, Margaret trudged up to her room alone. She was just unlocking her door when the lift doors opened and Molly and Greg spilled out with a burst of happiness and giggles. Her head was tucked into his shoulder and his was dipped down, whispering something in her ear so neither noticed her as they swayed and moved to the door next to Margaret's and went inside. It wasn't until Margaret was finished washing her makeup off that it dawned on her what that meant. The sex she'd been hearing earlier, than one that had sounded so enjoyable and enthusiastic and had turned her on a bit, was them.

The six glasses of wine she drank suddenly felt heavy in her stomach and she wondered if maybe she would get sick.


End file.
